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I think this building just doesn't match the spirit of the area at all. Why would you build a modern monstrosity on a classic tree lined park street like this? The city council should hse never approved something like this. It belongs on Eagle Street. Eg should have required something like 15 Central Park West that suits the historical feel of the Botanic Gardens. I am very disappointed with the lack of sensible urban planning and appreciating classicism. I know that Australia has some odd affinity for all things 'modern' but the fact is that modern dates. Riparian is already looking a bit dated on the interiors. Really short sited and 'trendy'. Why would you want something trendy on Birsban Brisbane's most classic street?

Quote:

Originally Posted by finn

Everyone seems to love the design of this tower but I don't really like it.

It seems so anonymous and alien to it's surroundings. I mean why is it so curved? Surely that's not a practical design for an apartment layout? And the ground level does nothing to activate the streetscape across the road from the Botanic Gardens and the future Albert St Station entrance.

Is it the glass that everyone likes so much? Attracted to shiny things like Magpies are? Fully glazed reflective facade doesn't seem appropriate to the Brisbane climate.

I know I'm the odd one out on this but the only thing this tower contributes IMHO is a bit of height for that end of the skyline.

I think this building just doesn't match the spirit of the area at all. Why would you build a modern monstrosity on a classic tree lined park street like this? The city council should hse never approved something like this. It belongs on Eagle Street. Eg should have required something like 15 Central Park West that suits the historical feel of the Botanic Gardens. I am very disappointed with the lack of sensible urban planning and appreciating classicism. I know that Australia has some odd affinity for all things 'modern' but the fact is that modern dates. Riparian is already looking a bit dated on the interiors. Really short sited and 'trendy'. Why would you want something trendy on Birsban Brisbane's most classic street?

Couldn't disagree with you more! If this building is finished well, it will be an icon for this end of town. And why wouldn't it fit with the gardens? It looks a damn more impressive than Quay West.

I think this building just doesn't match the spirit of the area at all. Why would you build a modern monstrosity on a classic tree lined park street like this? The city council should hse never approved something like this. It belongs on Eagle Street. Eg should have required something like 15 Central Park West that suits the historical feel of the Botanic Gardens. I am very disappointed with the lack of sensible urban planning and appreciating classicism. I know that Australia has some odd affinity for all things 'modern' but the fact is that modern dates. Riparian is already looking a bit dated on the interiors. Really short sited and 'trendy'. Why would you want something trendy on Birsban Brisbane's most classic street?

Oh well. I disagree with you completely, however if you wait 40 years this will be a classic example of 2010's architecture and no longer some 'modern monstrosity'.

I disagree as well; in terms of architecture, most of Alice Street is pretty ugly, and an embarrassment for what you call Brisbane's 'most classic street'. This building updates the drab street scene in that area, which is needed, and will look great against the lush gardens. By the way 'gardens' aren't exactly a dated concept or part of cities, so something modern can work fine with them.

The design is very timeless, as we know glass doesn't go out of fashion and I don't think this building will be any different.

there's nothing wrong with a glass building, but I just don't think it goes in a residential neighborhood. It would be fine on Eagle Street. With that being said, I don't think it could be any worse than any of those horrid Mary/Albert street apartment buildings (aka college dorms) that belong on the Gold Coast though..

@the quay west poster: obviously quay west is a tear down building.. Grosvenor is a half way decent building and is more in keeping with the neighborhood

@ the 40 years from now: i'm sure the architects who designed all of the extremely dated 70s government building 'monstrosities' on the north end of the CBD thought the same thing as you.. no one ever designs something 'modern' thinking it's going to date but it ALWAYS does.

@ innerwest -- basically, Alice Street has huge potential -- it's the only thing that Brisbane has that is like West side of London or NYC 5th Ave. London allows big glass buildings on Canary Wharf but certainly not in Holland Park. NYC allows them in midtown but certainly not on 5th. I just think they should force developers to make it look more like that, which has a better feel for a tree lined park street and will give Brisbane a bit more int'l residential prestige. They should raise all of those terrible apartment buildings on the street, too.. the only things nice on the street are the old Govn't mansion on the corner of George and the Grosvenor is 'ok'

there's nothing wrong with a glass building, but I just don't think it goes in a residential neighborhood. It would be fine on Eagle Street.

The fact of the matter is that this is a residential building that is going in a residential precinct. With the small exception of the top end apartments in Riparian, Eagle Street is a commercial precinct, rather than a residential one, whereas Alice Street is slated to become largely residential. The location is appropriate for use, and that's what the Council would care about foremost.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dxbnyc

@the quay west poster: obviously quay west is a tear down building.. Grosvenor is a half way decent building and is more in keeping with the neighborhood

In my opinion, Grosvenor is a very good building that, as you said, does fit in very well with its neighbourhood and the Smellie & Co Building that it incorporates. However, the aesthetic it fits in with is that of the gardens end of Edward Street. Edward Street, between Margaret and Alice Streets, is lined with pre-1900s buildings almost exclusively (the former Naval Offices being the exception, circa 1901), with more modern buildings (Grosvenor & Stamford) set back behind them.

Alice Street is a different story as there are only a handful of buildings (Grosvenor complex, Quay West – unfortunately, Queensland Club and Parliament House) along the street that will survive a more or less full redevelopment of the street, and these buildings are all of different vernaculars and present to the street differently. Your example of 15 Central Park West works in NYC because its in a neighbourhood dominated by large, art deco buildings similar in design and scale. That doesn't exist on Alice Street, it being dominated largely by 60s-70s low set brown brick apartments. The style of building along Alice Street isn't so much an issue as it height and potential overshadowing issues.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dxbnyc

@ the 40 years from now: i'm sure the architects who designed all of the extremely dated 70s government building 'monstrosities' on the north end of the CBD thought the same thing as you.. no one ever designs something 'modern' thinking it's going to date but it ALWAYS does.

Some design styles date better than others. You mentioned how "dated" Riparian looks (something I would dispute – I think it and Riverside Centre are both ageing quite well personally), but we have buildings that are a fair bit older than that, such as Waterfront Place, CP1 and the State Law Building which almost have a timelessness to them and have become city icons. Even the brutalism of QPAC has become an iconic fixture of the southern bank of the river. Architecture of any time period will be hit and miss, but as its often only the hits that we keep, we often forget about this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dxbnyc

@ innerwest -- basically, Alice Street has huge potential -- it's the only thing that Brisbane has that is like West side of London or NYC 5th Ave. London allows big glass buildings on Canary Wharf but certainly not in Holland Park. NYC allows them in midtown but certainly not on 5th. I just think they should force developers to make it look more like that, which has a better feel for a tree lined park street and will give Brisbane a bit more int'l residential prestige. They should raise all of those terrible apartment buildings on the street, too.. the only things nice on the street are the old Govn't mansion on the corner of George and the Grosvenor is 'ok'

Again, there is a big difference between the areas you're talking about here, and Alice Street, a difference you've even identified by saying "the only things nice on the street are the old Govn't mansion on the corner of George and the Grosvenor is 'ok'". Holland Park has a long standing built vernacular that would make a glass tower look out of place. 5th Avenue has a long standing built vernacular that would make a glass tower look out of place (although that didn't stop Trump Tower & Hotel on Central Park West, and the Time Warner Centre on Columbus Circle). Alice Street has no such vernacular and, as time goes on and buildings like 1 William Street and a new casino resort go up, the vernacular of that top end of Alice Street will probably become more and more glass-based, meaning Abian won't look out of place.

We just have to make sure that the street maintains a cohesive look overall. The Central Park and Holland Park areas were "modern" once, so who's to say Alice Street won't be regarded the same in 70 years time?

Mr Felix appointed to develop new campaign for Sunland Group’s Brisbane development, Abian
Sunland Group has engaged emerging marketing communications agency, the felix & slink group, to carry out a multi-sensory campaign for its new luxury Brisbane development, Abian.

The agency has been brought on to create a sensory manual for Sunland Group, which will be rolled out across national sales suites.
Tom O’Connor, group creative director, co-founded the agency in 2010,
filling the gap in the developing luxury market in Queensland and the
trend for specialist boutique agencies.

Says O’Connor: “Sunland
challenged us to be innovative in our approach; the building is
unmatched in the Queensland property market, so the communication
strategy had to reflect this.

“It’s rare to see multi-sensory
campaigns executed in this space and our goal was to produce something
completely unique to Sunland.”

Sunland Group, the prestige
property developer behind Palazzo Versace and Q1 on the Gold Coast, say
Abian is set to redefine the Brisbane skyline, with an investment of
$220 million.

Says Sahba Abedian, Sunland group managing
director: “Sunland have a pioneering and innovative spirit, so it was
important for us to align with a like minded agency to produce something
previously unseen.”

The felix & slink group is a
full-service premium and luxury marketing communications group comprised
of felix & slink PR and creative agency, Mr Felix.

The boutique Queensland agency has worked with companies including News Limited, L’Oreal Luxury and Camper.

They are the only creative agency to be members of The Luxury Network Australia.